I'm Loving Angels Instead
by Befantastic
Summary: Perspective piece on the growing relationship of Starr and Michael.
1. They offer me protection

**Starr and Micheal are my new obsession. They have overcame a lot to get where they are now. And it's the beginning. These are inner thoughts of their relationship.**

* * *

She felt like a teenager.

Not that Starr felt that her baby girl held her back, but being a mom had been her life when it shouldn't have been. She loved Hope. That little smile jumpstarted her mornings, lifted her up when she was down. And every time she felt like it was wrong to live her dreams, truly focus on her music, she remembered that Hope would want her mommy to be happy.

Cole. When she was younger she knew Cole was her true love, he was the one. They had been through so much early on, it had always been them against the world. But now, she didn't know if he really was the love her life.

Starr couldn't help but think that she only felt that way about Cole because he was the father of her child, because he was really the only guy who had been consistent in her life. Her and James had no chance, because of Cole. In her mind it was always Cole, but it wasn't like that now.

Sometimes when she thought about Michael and how she felt weak in the knees when he looked at her, she couldn't help but wonder if every obstacle that had been thrown between her and Cole was fate's way of saying it something better was waiting for her. Maybe it was wrong. She knew she loved Cole, but she didn't miss him like she thought she should. She wrote it off as she was just used to having him being away from her.

It should've felt wrong and maybe it was to soon. But in those moments when his arms were wrapped across her chest, and she felt his heart pumping behind her, she knew. Michael Corinthos was her chance, to be young. And he was going to make the world a little more bearable.

Michael treated her like a princess, something she never thought she like. He held her hand, like it was the most natural thing to do, he teased in a lightness that made her a giggle mess. He was unreal. He kissed her in a way that made her toes wiggle in her shoes. He made her feel alive, he didn't treat her like a charity case or a piece of glass. He knew the only way to really ease her pain was to move on. She knew it was too soon. She knew she couldn't love someone that quickly. She wasn't ready to love Michael. et.

But maybe, just maybe, he was her angels way of saying it was okay to start loving again.


	2. You got a smile

Michael had never been smitten.

It sounded bad, because he was with Abby for a year, but he never had a pure heart pounding, borderline obsession for a girl like he did for Starr. Abby was just different, and mysterious. She opened up a new world for him. But it felt as though he was always trying to catch up, to understand her much complicated adult world.

Granted, Abby was his only real girlfriend, but he'd been out before her. Just those girls at Madison weren't anything for him. They were boring, superficial, airheads and he never felt right with girls his age. They were so happy and carefree. He had baggage. He wasn't a blind-eyed kid.

But maybe that's why Starr was so easy.

She had her own problems, Michael had seen them first hand. But it didn't stop him. Starr was so refreshing and beautiful. He had no clue as to how to approach someone with so much confidence. And ever since they decided to be 'more than friends', he had became a babbling fool at anything that had to do with being around Starr Manning.

But when someone was gorgeous and confident it was a mix that would leave any boy dazed, breathless and in absolute a lost of words. How did you even start deal with someone who seemed un-human?

"Are you okay " Starr asked with a slight giggle. "Michael?" She said his name before putting her fork down. She had to toss a sugar packet to get his attention.

"What." He said snapped out of a daze. The last thing he remembered doing was-

"-You were staring." Starr didn't hold back on her laughter.

Michael was a dweeb.

"Oh sorry I was looking at that piece of lettuce stuck on your face." Michael recovered.

"Seriously?" she turned a shade of pink as her fingers tried to find the non-existent vegetable. "Did you get it?' her fingers roamed.

Michael held back his on laughter as he reached over, "I think it's right," in a moment they were face to face, "Here." He kissed her across the table. There lips met for a moment before the bell from above Kelly's door rang.

"Why do I get the feeling there wasn't anything there?" Starr asked as they pulled away both with smiles on their faces. Michael chuckled to himself, while he cursed the person who interrupted their moment, before he heard someone say his name.

"Michael?" He looked over and saw Molly, who looked at him in interested.

"Hey Molly!" he exclaimed at his favorite cousin. Molly smiled, and he could tell that Molly wanted to know why he was sitting with the blonde that had been on all the newspapers for months. "Molly this is Starr Manning, Starr this is Molly Lansing, my cousin."

"Hi!" Starr exclaimed.

"Nice to meet you, my sister Kristina always talks about you. You live with her producer right?" the ever intrusive Molly questioned. Michael shivered with the thought of his girlfriend living with another man. Well, then again he didn't even consider Trey to be a man anyway.

"Uh, yeah! Kristina's your sister too?" Starr looked at Michael quizzically.

"It's complicated." Michael answered shyly. He wasn't use to explaining his complicated family tree, filled with half-siblings and cousins he never spoke too. Most Port Charles natives knew about the scandal that came with Carly Jax and Sonny Corinthos.

Luckily Starr nodded, "I get it." Michael smiled at her again. It was a habit. It was natural. As they spent more time together he realized that they were actually more alike than he could ever imagine anyone could be. She made him feel human.

"So," Molly smiled and he knew what was coming next. "Is Starr your girlfriend?"

"She's very to the point isn't she?" Starr asked as she looked at the teenager.

Michael sighed, "That would be Molly." He turned to her, "Yes Molly, me and Starr are dating."

Molly's eyes lit up in excitement. "Really! That's awesome!" she looked at Starr just as intently as Michael did. "I am so happy for you Michael. You're like her hero who saves her. It's a classic storybook romance, it-"

Starr laughed.

"Molly.." Michael warned the young hopeless romantic. Luckily she picked up.

"It's true! But I'm sure you don't want me to babble…."

"No! I'd love to hear it." Starr encouraged. She seemed to enjoy Molly's speech about true love at such a young age. Michael wasn't surprised. Starr had made it clear that she fell for Cole when she was just around Molly's age. While would be upset to hear about their girlfriend's ex, due to the circumstances Michael found it endearing.

"No you don't. Molly is a real love enthusiast." Michael looked at Starr seriously. Starr smiled at him. And he almost told Molly to continue whatever she was going to say.

It was sick that she had that much power of him.

"No, Starr, I have to go find my boyfriend anyway." she glanced at Michael who was surprised that she was being so public with TJ. "My mom knows now, she gave me permission"

Starr perked up. "A secret boyfriend? You're my kind of girl."

"Does Uncle Sonny not know?" Molly questioned.

"No, but were not keeping it a secret. It just hasn't gotten to that point yet." Michael told her. "But I would like to keep it between us, so we can tell him."

"No problem Michael. I just think you guys are perfect. You both deserve happiness."

"I hope so." Michael said as he met Starr in her blue orbs.

He knew not everyone got second chances. He was sure that he wouldn't miss out on his chance for true bliss and maybe, he thought, it could be his chance at real love. He reached forward and rubbed his thumb over her hand. It felt right. He felt right doing it. He was sure that if he played his cards right, Starr Manning would be in his life for a while.

"Michael! Stop staring! It's creepy." Starr said.

He really was a dweeb.


End file.
